Effectiveness of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy in Reducing Depressive Symptom Severity among Adults with Major Depressive Disorder

Abstract

Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) is one of the most prevalent mental health disorders worldwide, significantly affecting individuals' emotional well-being, cognitive functioning, and overall quality of life. This research studied the application of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) to assess the reduction of depressive symptoms in adults with Major Depressive Disorder. With a quantitative, cross-sectional, research design, this study collected data through structured questionnaires from 268 adults with MDD residing in Punjab and Sindh, Pakistan. In the study, variables were measured on a five-point Likert scale, and the questionnaires were distributed through Google forms. The responses were formatted in Microsoft Excel and analyzed by the IBM SPSS Statistics program. Descriptive statistics were used to present respondents’ demographic data, and Pearson correlation, multiple regression, independent samples t-test, and one-way ANOVA were used to formulate and test study hypotheses. The study determined that there is a significant negative association between Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and depressive symptoms. Depressive symptoms regressed in relation to the amount of CBT received as determined by the ANOVA, which also determined that depressive symptoms improved significantly with longer durations of CBT, and as measured by the t-test, depressive symptoms were significantly less in the CBT group. This study further determined that CBT is an effective, evidence-based, psychological intervention for use with adults suffering with Major Depressive Disorder. This study also advocates for the wider implementation of CBT as an integrated psychological intervention in mental health services.